Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Acting, effects, lighter mood

Cons: Emphasis on romance lessens time for important plot points

The Bottom Line:

Setting up last part

It is surprisingly light

But covers the book

Moods Lightened for the Sixth Harry Potter Film

When the publication date for the final Harry Potter book came out, I finally sat myself down and read the series.  I loved it.  But it's now been two years and details are starting to get fuzzy on me again.  So, while I am familiar with the overall story of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, I am no longer aware of every single detail.  I think that is a blessing because it allowed me to go in and enjoy the movie on its own terms.

This entry in the series literally picks up at the end of the last.  The wizarding world has finally admitted what Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) have been saying for a year - Lord Voldemort is back.  And that leads everyone into a panic.  Ron (Rupert Grint), Hermione (Emma Watson), and Ginny (Bonnie Wright) are barely allowed to go back to Hogwarts by their worried parents, for example.

But back they and everyone else go.  Harry is captain of the Quidditch team this year.  Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) has started teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, making way for Professor Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) to regain his long ago post of Potions.  And love is in the air as all our main characters seem to struggle with their feelings for the opposite sex.

Below the surface, trouble is still brewing.  Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) has been given a secret mission by Voldemort.  And Dumbledore has some memories and a mission of his own for Harry.  Will these missions mean that good can triumph over evil?

Let's start by being honest.  Odds are if you aren't familiar with the characters, you probably won't get what's happening here.  There are just too many of them and they are introduced too quickly with little to no explanation or back story.  If you have seen the previous movies, you should be fine.  But don't even think about making this your introduction to the Harry Potter world.

Having gotten that out of the way, let's get down to business.  The main thing I remembered from the book was lots of back story on Tom Riddle/Lord Voldemort and a set up for the next book.  I was actually surprised at how little of that back story made it into the movie.  That includes one key plot point I thought was very important.  The most important pieces of the puzzle are all here, so if you are just watching the movies, you will still understand the final two.

That's not to say that the romantic sub-plots weren't in the book.  They are much funnier here, however.  I don't think I've laughed so hard at a Harry Potter film.  Equally amusing were the Quidditch scenes with Ron finally joining the team.  In fact, it was wonderful to see the sport again.  At times, I felt like I was watching a romantic comedy rather than a fantasy adventure movie, but I must say I enjoyed those scenes.

Still, it seems like more of a balance could have been made between the romance and the fantasy story that needed to be advanced.  At one point, I felt the movie was dragging just a bit because of it, but that was all in the two and a half hour movie.

I was surprised when I learned this film was going to be rated PG.  But having seen it, I think that is probably right.  This movie is much lighter in tone than the previous two.  Things do get darker for the climax, including one scene that made me jump even though I knew it was coming.  Parents still might want to know how it ends before letting their kids see it.

The climax of this movie isn't nearly as drawn out as the previous films or the book for that matter.  I thought what was on screen worked, so I am okay with the changes.  Mostly.  Because the ending was simplified, the actions of one of the characters make little sense.  (And I'm not saying more because it will spoil things.)

This movie seems to shift the focus from some characters on to others.  We definitely see more of Draco and Ginny this go around than we have in the past.  Both actors really step up and make the most of the increased roles.  In fact, the cast was uniformly good.  Michael Gambon has had a few moments of weakness as Dumbledore, but here he shone the entire time.  And our three leads were still wonderful as Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

The special effects team did a great job once again.  There is not a moment in the film I don't buy.  When you consider just how many special effects there are in the films, that's really saying something.

As always with these films, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince could have been a better adaptation of the book.  But what is here is enjoyable.  Just try your best to leave your expectations from the book at the door and enjoy the ride presented.